Cork board and the manufacture thereof



srAEs vl-"arsnr OFFICE.

GORE BOARD AND THE MANUYACTURE THEREOF.

My invention relates to cork-board and to the manufacture" thereof, and is designed to produce a cork-board which possesses a re1- atively' high degree of structural strength and also relatively high resistance to heat conductivity. A further object of the invention is to provide a novel method of manufacturing cork-board in accordance with which a highly efiective binder is produced in situ within the body of cork-during the manufacture, and which method may be carried out more rapidly than has heretofore been possible, by reason of the fact that the amount of external heat necesssry to the car ing out of the process is either greatly re need, or the use of external heat is entirel eliminated.

has long b ubstances that are capable of bein utilized as binding: agent for cork particles, and numerous attempts have been made to utilize nch substances as a binding agent. In corkoard such as described and claimed in my Latent No. 1,184,308, dated- May 23, 1916,

such substances are used as the only binder for: the cork particles.

l. have now discovered a novel method whereby the substances contained within the cork may be utilized in a much more complete and highly eflzective manner than has 1 heretotore been possible, thereby producing cork-board of greatly superior quality. 7 in accordance with my present invention,

the cork articles are mixed with some sub-' stance w ich is capable-of generating heat within the mass of such particles, this heat t and also in the being utilised the expansion of the cork roduction of the binder. A number of di erent substances may be mixed with the cork for this purpose, such as calcium carbide, calcium oxide, potas- .sium oxide, magnesium oxide, sodium oxide,

etc. These substances all have the property or being able" to combine with the moisture present in the cork to produce a relatively,

high temperature inthe mass. I referably employ calcium carbide, since this has the greatest heat formation with water, and also because l have found that the acct lens gas liberated by the decomposition o the calcium carbide appears to have an important hardening action upon the bindin stances produced by the partial disti 'lation the cork. v j

sen known that cork contains sub.

Application filed December 15, 1990, Serial No. 431,043. Renewed November 28, 1926.

In carrying out my invention, the calcium carbide is preferably reduced to a finely divided or pulverized state, and is mixed with the cork in such a manner as to coat the surfaces of the cork as completely and uniformly as possible with articles of the carbide. 'Apparently the nervthe ulverization of the carbide, the more com etc is the coating of the particles therewit and the better the results obtained. The particles of cork so coated are then placed in a closed mold in substantially the same manner as heretofore practiced in the manufacture of cork-board. The decom sition of the calcium carbide immediate y begins, with the attendant generation of heat within the com fined mass, this heat bein sufficient to pan tiall distill the cork an cause distillation pro nets to be formed on the surface of the cork articles. Reactions occur between these distil ation products and the products of decomposition of the calcium carbide. I am not at the present time able to state just what thesereactions are, but I believe that the distillation products are saponified by the action of the calcium hydrate formed b the decomposition of the calcium carbide.

also find that the amount of free acetylene where the intensity of the reaction is great est so that a strong and intimate bond is formed between the. particles.

It is well known that a cork-board product, in order to possess maximumheat insulation properties, should be free from air spaces or voids between adjacent articles. Heretofore it has been attempte to obtain the absence of such voids inso far. as possible by a maximum. expansion of the cork particles, as described in 111 said patent. Manifestly, however, in sue pro cess some voids will remain. By the present rocess these voids are much fewer in 11\ 1!11-' r and smaller in size, and in addition-the particles are: covered-with a veryf'thin corkparticles, the products havinga tarry v 'appear'ance.

The amount of calcium carbide, or'its" equivalent, which it is necessary to-use in any particular case, is largely. dependent upon the amount of moisture contained 4 Lin the cork. The higher-the amount of moisture. contained, the higher th a a cork, however, g high a degree of moisture, because m such.

of, carbide which should be used The should not possess too cases. such an amount of. carbide vmust o the cork decom osi tio n (if-the calcium carbide to pro-- be used that the hydrate of lime resulting from its decomposition will form a coating will vnot be sufiicient heat generated by the duce t e i'desired result. I have obtained the best ,results with' a moisture content. in v V the "cork of about 10% by weight; and in i cium carbide.- It win be understood, how

that case I used about 5% "by weight of calever, that I have not limited myself to these calcium carbide used proportioned accordamount .of moisture contained in the cork should be predetermined, and the amount of ingly. If the cork contains too much moisture, it may. be partially dried before mixing the carbide therewith; On the other hand,if

the cork is 'too dry, it may be sprayed or steamed until the proper result is atta ned.

Owing to the; relatively high degree of proper] tion, it the molds are properly heat insulated to preventthe'escape of heat from the surface portions of the cork mixture, the "process can be carried out without theapg lication of any external heat. I I prefer, however,- to place the molds containin the cork mixture in an oven which may he eat I ed to any temperature below-that at which the cork willbe injured.- s The practicev of myinvention results in 'a. 'Jq greatly superior article of manufacture; and the time required for the manufactureis' greatlyreduced, thus largely increasing the articles to such an extent as to interfere wit their proper bonding. On the other hand, the amount of moisture present in the cork should not be too low, or there I I 1 663 989 :7 i

out ut of any given plant, as well as the'cost of e1 required. for. a]

er reduced by re-' heating the cork before mixin given output. The time required can be furt the car ide: therewith, butthe reheating s ould be carried out under con 'tions wh ch willpreventtoo great evaporation 1of-theycontained I .moisture.

9 By the term' cork-boar as used herein I and in the claims, I intend to cover, not

only. boards of this material, but also slabs,

blocks, bricks, and other shapesthereot. I claim: s 1. Anew article of ing a mass of :cork particles bonde gether by saponified distillation products of cork, substantially. as described. i i

, 2. A new article of manufacture,.-comprising a mass of cork particles bondcd tO-l- .pether by saponified and hardened" distilationaproducts of cork,"subs tantia11 d scribe 3. A new 1 article of manufacture, com-. prising amass of cork particles bondedito .gether by 'saponified distillation products of cork produced in situ in thefj cork mass,

substantially as described.

tion pro nets of cork and-produced in'situ 5. As a newarticle of manufacture, a mass 6. As a new article of manufacture, amass of cork particles bonded together by reaction manufacture, com risto- 4. Anew article oifmanufacture, com-" prising a mass of cork articles-bonded to? gether b saponified'an 'hardened'distilla- 5 in the cork mass,"substantially as described;

proportions. ifreferably in eachcase the, I

' of corkparticles bonded together by reaction yields an alkali, substantially as products formedin situ.v by the partial dis-Y :tillation of corkin the presence of a com- .1 ,pound which when hydrated bythe'action' .of the moisture in the cork yields an alkali, jsubstantially as described. I a new article ofmanufacture, a mass oi cork articles bonded together bynreaction pr ucts formed by the partial distillation of'cork in the' resencei'of a compound which when hy rated by the action of the-moisture in the'cork yields an alkali and also a gas capable of exerting aharden-f stantially as described.

ving eflect'upon thedistillationproducts, subing cork-board which consists "in mixing the cork particles with a hy oscopic comgpund which will yield an a ali when hyated by theymoisture-in the cork, and

;utilizing the heat generated by the reaction .to efiect-the bonding of the cork particles, 1 ,substantiallyasdescribed. l i l;- 9. The herein described method- -of mak f incense cork-hoard which consists in mixing the cork particles with a hygroscopic compound -which will produce an alkali when bydrated by the moisture in the cork, and confining the mixture in a receptacle during the action of hydration, substantially as described.

10. The herein described method of making cork-board which consists in mixing cork particles with a substance which will with the moisture of the cork to duce heat and as described.

12. The herein described method of male in cork-board which consists in mixing proyield an alkali, substantially cork particles with calcium carbide and confining the mixture during the reaction between the carbide and the moisture contained in the cork, substantially as described.

The herein described method of mak ing cork-board which consists in mixing cork particles with calcium carbide and'con lining the mixture during the reaction between the carbide and the moisture contained the cork, and also applying external heat to the mixture durin such reaction, sub stantially as describecfi 1 The herein described method of mak ing cork-board which consists in coating cork particles with pulverized calcium car hide, and utilising the heat generated by the reaction of the moisture contained in the cork upon the calcium carbide to eiiect an expansion and bonding of the. cork particles, substantially as described.

15. In the manufacture of cork-board, the

step which consists in mining granulated cork with a substance which has an erotherniic reaction therewith, substantially as described.

16. in the manufacture ct cork-board, the etc which consists in mining granulated corli with a substance which has an orctherrnic reaction therewith, sha ing the mixture, and utilizing the heat at reaction to effect a bonding of the cork particles, substantially as described.

1?. in the -manufacture of cork-board, the step which consists in mixing granulated cork with substance which has an em othermic reaction therewith and utilizing the heat of reaction to edect a partial distillation of the cork, substantially as de prising a mass of cork generating heat internally of a mass of cork particles, substantially as described.

l9. lln the manufacture of articles from granulated cork, the step which consists in causing exothermic chemical reaction throughout a mass of such particles, substantially as described.

20. In the manufacture of articles from granulated cork, the steps which consists in generating heat internally of a mass of cork particles, and simultaneously therewith applying external heat, substantially as described.

'21. As a new article of manufacture, a mass of cork particles bonded by reaction products formed by the partial distillation of cork in the presence of a compound which when acted on by the moisture present in the cork yields a gas capable of exert a hardening efiect upon the distillation products, substantially as described.

22. A new article of manufacture comprising a mass of cork particles united b a binder derived from and hardened b is tillation products of cork, substantially described.

23. A new article of manufacture cornprisingia mass of cork particles united by a binder derived from and hardened by distillation products of cork produced in situ, substantially as described. 1

24. A new article of manufacture comprising a mass of cork particles bonded together by saponilied distillation products produced by the internal generation of heat within the mass in the tying agent, substantially as described.

it. new article of manufacture conuprislng a mass of cork articles united by a I inder derived from an hardened by saponified distillation products of cork, substantially as described.

26. A. new article of manufacture cominder derived from saponified distillation duced in situ, substantiall as described.

27. The herein described method of making cork-board which comprises mixin the cork particles with a com ound ca ab e of and hardened by particles united by a products of cork pro 10o resence of a sapomgeueratin heat when note on by t e moisture of t e cork particles and causing a partialdistillation of the cork, substantially as described.

28. 'lihe herein described'method'of making cork-board which comprises mixing the cork particles with a compound capable of generating heat in situ when acted on by the moisture in the cork and causing apartial distillation of the cork,'substantially as de scribed.

in testimony whereol, l have hereunto set my hand.

l'mlllh L. EN EY. 

